Elevator

 

Image from the 1953 phone book.

The old, odd-looking grain elevator just north of the Eureka depot was built after 1917. Photos in Burke's book show it as Cornett Feed and Seed Elevator. In 1951 it became the J. E. Sowder Seed and Elevator Co. This elevator could handle box cars only. After the demise of steam, the elevator purchased the water tank and converted it to an elevator. Sowders went out of business in 1987.

The main tower of the elevator was 20' wide and 22' deep. The corregated metal exterior is arranged in bands that are 32" apart. The straight portion rises 36' before angling in for an additional 32', making it 68' tall on the rail side. The elevator was built on the bank of a creek, so the creekside is built up.

Behind it is the unique dust collector and incenerator. It is made of brick and is 12' in diameter and stands about 26' tall. A ground level door measuring 37" wide and 29" high was provided.

The elevator has been demolished. Another elevator was on the MoPac track.

Click here for photos.

Oil Distributors

Burke's photos show two bulk oil dealers around the Santa Fe.

James Burke Photos

The Sinclair agency was located just off of the passing siding northeast of the depot. Earlier maps show the passing siding crossing 7th street and running by the warehouse door. Phil Braden was the dealer at one time. Rail service stopped before 1970. Only the warehouse and pump house remain in 2001. Click for photos.

A second distributor was north of the elevator on 7th Street just west of the tracks. Whether this dealer used rail delivery and its name is unclear at this writing. That dealer can be seen in the background of this 1946 Burke photo, taken from the top of a tender taking on water at the tank. In 2001 the tanks are gone but the supports and warehouse remain. Roscoe Morton, shown in the above photo, reported that crude was also loaded at Eureka, though he does not remember the details of the location.

Stock Pens

Eureka's Santa Fe stock pens had a 27 car capacity, 9 pens, hydrant, shed, and a 10 ton scale. They were gone by 1972 when Riley was on the line, but he reports a concrete dock stood at the location and occasionally they would spot a flat there for unloading shipments such as lumber.

Their location can be seen in this 1991 aerial image from Terraserver.

See Santa Fe System Standards, Vol. 1, by Kachina Press for ATSF Standard stock pen plans.

A final note for modelers, Burke reports that the ATSF track cut diagonally across lawns that were tended to the ends of the ties. Modelers will not want to overdo the ballast in Eureka.